“What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me?” (v. 12)
This “halal, or praise psalm was written by one who was celebrating the deliverance of a severe physical affliction. Many Jewish commentators attribute it to Hezekiah, who was told to get his house in order because he was about to die (2 Kings 20:1). But, after much prayer the LORD healed him and gave him 15 more years on earth (2 Kings 20:5-6). Upon reflection of all that God had done for him in his lifetime, Hezekiah asks the question here in our text, “What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits toward me?"
What a legitimate question. We could all ask the same thing. What can we give to the LORD?, the creator of the universe who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, for all He has done for us. In the material sense there is nothing that God really needs. For "the earth is the LORD’s and all that is within it.” And anything we give to Him in that sense, is already His. So what can we give Him?
When my children were growing up they would bring me pictures they had drawn in sunday school, crafts they had made for “fathers day,” bookmarks they had made with their pictures on them, cards expressing their love. To this day I still have many of those tokens of their love and affection that I can look at and enjoy at any time. Priceless! Now as they are grown and have great responsibilities of their own, a quick text or phone call, an unexpected visit, coffee, an occasional outing, all speak to me of their love, their desire to stay in touch, that I am on their mind and in their hearts. These expressions of love, no matter how simple, still mean the most, and are priceless.
What then can we give to God for all His benefits toward us, that He might consider us priceless? Our time, our hearts, and our love. Our time, by staying connected to our heavenly Father, in His Word, in prayer, in praise and thanksgiving for delivering us from sin and death. Our hearts and love, by recognizing all He has done for us through His love and grace, and by giving Him the glory and honor due His name.
And, in so doing, we will as the psalmist wrote, “offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving” - our love, priceless to Him, for His deliverance in and of our lives.
The Truth: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
